CHAPTER 16: CH 16: PREPARATIONS [5]

The week passed by in a blur of strenous activities. Every morning started with a tour of library and getting to learn as much as possible but in a strategic manner.

I wasn’t consuming everything I saw but rather what I felt would be necessary for the exam.

The schooling structure here is quite interesting. Comparing it with our own education system, kids of this planet learn in local nurseries till what should have been their middle school had they been on Earth.

After this, they are admitted to the several academies which are all backed by the kingdom. Thus, there is no concept of a private institute. Everything here belongs to the government.

It was a huge relief when I found out that one’s education is completed the moment they graduate from the academies.

Yeah, that was the end of education here. Of course, there was a field for research but rarely would someone choose it.

Also in a way, whatever questions one could ask in any exams were all limited to the books in the library I was in.

As a result, I felt a slight surge of confidence within me regarding this exam.

In these few days, I was able to learn quite a lot of things.

Take for example, Vitalis. Although I could myself point out several mistakes in their theories, I was simply amazed by the passionate way these books explained their work.

It made one feel interested to actually study.

Or take for example their history.

If I am to go by Earth’s standards, this world is mostly in the medieval phase. However something that amazed me was the exclusive rights given to the court historians.

They had their own organisation and it was mandatory that they send atleast one of their member to respective lords in order to keep an account of their events.

To avoid any influence from the ruler, this hidden organization kept on changing the posts of the court historians from time to time.

Or take for example, Terra Verde.

It was basically geography.

It wasn’t as detailed as the textbooks back on Earth but that was pretty much understandable given the severe lack of technologies in this era.

Though something that caught my eye was their agriculture. It was completely independent on climate. Somehow, mana made up for any worsening climatic conditions.

Cool.

Anyway returning back to my own preparations, this was all.

Most of the times I was so engrossed in these activities that I didn’t even get any time to engage in conversations with the other staffs here.

Or even with the students.

Well except for Azak.

Honestly speaking, if he hadn’t been here I would probably have been freaking out of my mind.

Just strike up a chit-chat with him and he would eventually end up detailing all the gossips he had heard about me during my test.

Umm well....I mean Henry’s test.

The subjects were clear at this point: History, Vitalis, Terra Verde and politics.

And honestly, I have no idea of what to even study for the last one.

While I did all these under the morning sun, the nights were completely different.

Chilling winds. Dark skies. Stridulation of countless creatures.

And the sharp slashes of my katana.

Over the span of a week, my skills have become quite better. Atleast for an amateur like me.

*Slash*

The wooden katana struck the wooden dummy with precise aim and controlled power. As the blade withdrew, a faint layer of ice stuck to the throat of the dummy.

This was something I learned yesterday. Deal damage with katana, and if possible, leave a wound behind.

Simultaneously, I would then transmit my ice element through the sword and imprint it deep into the wound.

Generally, ice would be beneficial to wounds. But not if they are just embedded into the wound with some terrible force.

Not only would it delay the healing but also cause the opponents to feel pain and discomfort in the injured area.

Exactly what I wanted.

"System". I called out through my ragged breathing.

A cold wind blew, stiffening my neck, as the system screen appeared in front of me.

|Status|

------------------------------

Name: Henry Mordant (Karl Max)

Race: Human

Age: 23(14)

Innate Skills: Seed of Life (On Cooldown), One with Shadows(Inactive)

Active Skills: Unbending Baron, Life Drain, Ice Lotus, Double Slash

Element: Ice, Light (Locked)

Prime: Zero Order

__________

Strength: E

Agility: F

Intelligence: D

Durability: F

___________

Mana Meter: ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬛⬛⬛

[Capacity: F]

-------------------------------

"Still no increase in stats." I breathed out the same words for what might be the hundreth time in a single week.

I was pretty desperate for my stats to increase, provided I had been rigorously practicing this entire week.

Though I did notice that my mana didn’t deplete as fast as it did on my first day. Even though the capacity was still at F, I certainly felt some internal improvement in it.

Not only those, but also in my other stats.

Sure, they were at the same alphabets. But I feel the progress within me.

I can now strike using a katana and a dagger at the same time with barely any disruption in the flow between my weapons.

My body could endure the training session till dawn without any proper sign of tiredness.

My fist now contained the ability to shake the dummy in its own position with a single punch, which was impossible to do before.

And lastly, I feel more free than I ever had in my entire life. It was almost as if my body has been held into place by metal chains and only now have I removed them.

And along with this new fluidity came an increase in my natural senses.

My taste buds? Can rat out poisons just by a touch.

My perception? Can now follow the extremely fast movements.

Although my hearing wasn’t that enhanced, my sensory touches were on another level. Just by the movement of air, I could now predict people’s movements.

And given by D intelligence, predicting them was possible for me.

*BOOM*

My punch shattered the wooden dummy...for the first time.

Shards clattered around me, some landing on the floor and some crashing into the other dummies.

"Woah....that was something." I exclaimed in wonder.

Suddenly green vines rose up from the ground and wrapped itself around all the broken debris.

Then with a single snap, the vines joined all the pieces back to form the dummy.

As I thought, these dummies were anything but ordinary.

Though....

Now I think I am indeed prepared for the test.